


Bed Sharing (and other forms of mild insanity)

by Kairi_of_Knives



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Cunnilingus, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Romance is post time skip, Slow Burn, Smut, The rest of the deer are in there too, claude being an enthusiastic and romantic lover, pre-release
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-10 10:35:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19904332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kairi_of_Knives/pseuds/Kairi_of_Knives
Summary: "You know, Teach, I thought I was just smug because you joined the Deer when Dimitri and Edelgard wanted you so badly.  But that was wrong.  I wanted you too.  I wanted you to pick me.  And you did.  And you changed...everything."Or: Three times Byleth and Claude spontaneously share a bed and one time it was very much premeditated.





	1. The unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> Gotta thank my inspiration and enabler, BelowTheWind, for actually getting me to write this. You're beautiful and wonderful, Windy. Thanks :P
> 
> I got part of this idea from Change the Future by vinetini. Added a bit more twists and angst to it though. Cuz I'm a dramatic hoe. Enjoy y'all!

1.)

The first time wasn't even Claude's idea.

Byleth had accepted a mercenary contract on the Deer's behalf. Said that it would be a good practical application of their recent lessons in magical resistance. The others may have seemed intrigued by that idea, but Claude knew right away that her idea of training was getting your ass handed to you. Byleth's teaching style was definitely out of the ordinary. Claude couldn't deny that that was the exact reason he had wanted her to instruct the Golden Deer. Outside of the box thinkers like her were his favorite type of people. In the brief three months since she had joined them, Claude had already gone way out of his comfort zone at her coaxing. No one who knew him would ever say he was the type to place his trust in others, but he really did have faith in Byleth's judgement. So, when she led them to a dank, dark ruin supposedly overrun with necromancers, Claude didn't argue. It was sure to be a funny story if nothing else.

There was nothing fun about it.

The Deer learned very quickly that day that being hit in the face with Arcfire was something to be avoided, no matter how magically savvy you were. And the fact that actual undead creatures rose to assault them in support of the dark mages was even more upsetting. Especially for Lysithea. Try as she may to be seen as an adult, there were just some things she would never acclimate to well. Ghosts and monsters were tragically among them. Their only saving grace was that her fight or flight response ended up causing a massive explosion of fire magic, scorching through all the corpses and taking out several of the mages. Remarkably, the only person injured enough to need to infirmary when they returned was Raphael, who had been next to their young companion when she was in the midst of her panic. 

Not that that battle had been without its important takeaways. First, arrows were annoyingly useless against hunks of rotting flesh. The ax Byleth had been pushing him to use, for once, was the superior weapon in his arsenal. Second, Marianne had some killer motherly instincts. Claude would likely never forget the raging howl she made when she stole Lorenz's spear and rammed it straight through one of the poor bastards trying to stop Lysithea. Really and truly a sight to behold. On their way back, Byleth murmured to herself over her teaching journal about the possibility of getting her up and onto a Pegasus in the near future. They'd all done fantastically in such a difficult fight. For the most part, the Deer had a positive outlook as they wandered back to the monastery.

Save for one very obvious case.

Claude was not exactly close with the rest of the Deer on an emotional level. He'd fight with them, of course. Network and socialize to keep good standing. But they didn't really know him. No one did. And in return, he didn't generally make it his business to ask them about themselves. All of his information was acquired through deduction and eavesdropping, carefully filed away for any unfortunate need of blackmail or manipulation. It wasn't anything sinister. If anything, it was just the way he had grown up. Politics were not for the kind of heart, after all. His family was no stranger to that lesson. But making lifelong buddies wasn't exactly his intention hear at the academy. Of course, Byleth tended to shift everyone's visions for themselves the moment they came in to contact with her so it was really not surprising that she could change this too.

And if Claude were being really honest, he did truly hate seeing strong, capable Lysithea trembling and scared under a mess of blankets in their common room. At first, he had heard Hilda and Lorenz discussing having someone stay with her during dinner. Which Ignatz effortlessly volunteered to do. But when the rest of them returned to him and now Ashe still stroking her back and whispering comforting words to her, Claude knew that this terror of hers wasn't going to let her sleep tonight without a fight. Claude's heart got a bit tight in his chest. Emotions were something he knew how to illicit out of people, take advantage of even, but definitely not deal with productively. It was a weird experience, feeling helpless.

Luckily, not everyone was as stripped of solutions.

"Professor," Hilda called, bounding over with a smile on her face. "I know it's unconventional, but do you think we could maybe bring our bedding out here for the night? Marianne and I want to stay with Lysithea tonight and figure a little house sleep over party might be just the thing to distract her. What do you say?"

Byleth appeared slightly surprised to see Hilda take the initiative on a project like this but was smiling and agreeing in no time. "That's a very sweet idea, Hilda. Raphael!" Said boy's head snapped to attention right away. "Go grab some clean linen and as many pillows as you can find, won't you?"

It didn't take long for everyone to become fully invested in their plan. It was almost stunning how active Hilda was when she was working on something she wanted to do. Even Lorenz seemed happy enough to join them that evening, where Claude was 100% positive he would have complained about sleeping on the floor. 

"You underestimate his soft spot for Lysithea," Byleth commented, turning a sly grin on him. "He has the social awareness of a porcupine most days but when someone is in genuine distress, Lorenz is actually quite the gentleman." Claude stared at her for a moment, marveling at how she was able to track his train of thought without him saying anything. Just another reason he found their teacher so interesting, he supposed. "He definitely _wants_ to complain about the floor. But, I'm rather certain he'll keep it to himself for the girls' sake."

"Care to make a bet with me then, Teach?"

Byleth held a serene smile on her face as she set off to make some hot cocoa with Raphael and Leonie. "Loser has to organize our next afternoon tea," she bade without needing to look back at him. Claude gave a wry smile, shaking his head. That woman. What a piece of work.

He told himself he wouldn't stay the whole night. As house leader, it was only fair that he show up and participate. But if he disappeared the moment the others fell off into sleep, who would even notice? Surprisingly though, the longer he stayed, the less desire he had to make a timely escape. Leonie's idea of adding cinnamon to their hot chocolate was masterful and it warmed his body as he listened to her lively retelling of the adventurers that were famous in her village. Evidently, the benefit of coming from such a small town was that visitors were notable and stories were blown widely out of proportion by the time they left the tavern and reached the fields the next morning. There were definitely tears in his eyes as he sagged, breathless against Ignatz and Lysithea, floored that one drunken man could lose a card game so badly that he had to surrender not only his clothes, but his wife's as well. 

Their conversations ebbed and flowed, took wild tangents and sometimes stumbled into weird, uncomfortable topics (courtesy of Lorenz's bizarre fascination with the origins of perfume and Hilda's endless depth of knowledge about what weird ingredients went into those glass bottles). It was nearly one in the morning before any of them realized that Lysithea and their guest of honor, Ashe, had fallen asleep. 

Hilda declared soon after that that cuddling was a requirement of sleepovers and Claude found himself pressed rather comfortably in between Raphael's broad back and Byleth. From where he laid, he could see multiple skinny arms wrapped around their teacher's torso, Leonie and Hilda snuggling both each other and their beloved mentor. Raphael was almost certainly going to snore in a couple minutes. Ignatz and Lorenz would probably realize somewhere around 4-5 AM that they were in fact cuddling each other and not one of the girls. Which would mean screaming. But, Claude couldn't really find it in himself to care. Not when Byleth looked so at peace being the littlest spoon of the girls, meeting his eyes with mirth and warmth in her own. Even her cocky whisper of "tea on Saturday sounds nice, Claude" didn't break the veil of comfort draped over him. If anything, it made it better.

Maybe, Claude considered before he drifted off, he would have to reconsider that thought about having friends after all.

2.)

The additional of Sylvain into their little family was an unexpected wonder. Claude knew that Byleth had taken an instant liking to the flirty member of the Blue Lions back before she had chosen which house she would teach. It wasn't hard to see why. Sylvain had this air of familiarity to him that was bizarre for a noble. Even people who didn't really know a damn thing about him felt comfortable in his presence. He was just so genuine. Still, since it was common knowledge that the heir of house Gautier was childhood friends with the core four of the Blue Lions, Dimitri included, it was baffling to Claude that he would transfer houses.

Not that he wasn't aware of why, though.

No one who knew anything about Faerghus's political climate was unaware of the rumors about the first son of house Gautier. Disowned for not having a crest, the unfortunate victim of crest breeding, he had gone...a little off the deep end. It hadn't escaped Claude's notice when a bounty was put on the man's head and it certainly hadn't escaped Byleth's. While most people would not pry into business that ugly for someone from a different house, Byleth had no such reservations. Hilda had seen Sylvain and Byleth sitting and discussing something in the gardens, looking rather grim. Claude had guessed it was just her trying to be supportive. He didn't expect it when Sylvain approached him asking for the Golden Deer's assistance in tracking down his brother.

"I'm not saying no, Sylvain, but a guy's gotta wonder...why not ask the Blue Lions first?"

There was nothing subtle about the furious expression on the boy's face when he admitted, "I did."

No more needed to be said after that. Claude liked Dimitri. Really, he did. He was a good guy and was one hell of a charismatic leader. But like Edelgard, Dimitri's sense of personal right and wrong was a difficult thing to temper. If he thought something was the wrong choice, he wouldn't budge no matter how much you pushed. It was almost heart breaking that something like that was enough to put a wedge in such a long-standing friendship. But that wasn't any of Claude's business. The Deer were more than happy to assist Sylvain in his personal struggles. And even happier to welcome him into their training sessions and eventually, their weekly lessons too. Sylvain was the big brother type of guy. He could probably make friends anywhere.

Byleth had definitely underestimated the amount of chaos that could be generated from his acquaintance with Claude and Hilda, though.

Hilda was unarguably a shit starter. Some nobles disliked the political craftiness necessary to stay afloat as a house. People like Hilda and Lorenz reveled in it. Hilda also liked attractive men and playing pranks when she was in a spiteful enough mood. Claude was a kindred mischievous spirit, but didn't tend to assist if there was a chance it could come back to bite him. Sylvain was a game changer. He was the perfect companion to Hilda's devious whims and unflinchingly took the fall for the parts of their plans that Claude had schemed up. Such as leaving a lusty note with Manuela's forged signature on Hanneman's desk so that they didn't have to attend his seminar the next morning. And telling Ferdinand that Edelgard had insulting his battle prowess right before their practice match against the Black Eagles. This, Claude thought to himself as he watched Edelgard sucker punch Ferdinand in the middle of active combat, was what school was meant to be like. 

Of course, their antics had not gone unnoticed by their favorite teacher.

Claude constantly forgot that Byleth was just as crafty as he was. They only went rampant for about a week before Sylvain failed to show up to their afternoon meeting near the church. Instead, when he and Hilda arrived, they found Byleth leaning against a stone pillar, arms crossed and lips quirked into a small smirk. 

"Hilda, dear," Byleth had cooed, "I doubt I have to remind you that disturbing other students' learning is cause for disciplinary action. Such as a meeting with your parents, perhaps?" Hilda's eyes went wide, knowing exactly what sort of hell was to meet her if her father ever suspected her of causing trouble while away at school. "Feel free to vent your frustrations on the battlefield, if you'd like. So long as it's in good taste of course. Are we clear?"

"Yes ma'am," Hilda cast him one defeated look, before scurrying off to find their missing companion.

With his two conduits out of commission, Claude's own rambunctious spirit flagged as well. It would have been infuriating how effective Byleth was at countering them if it wasn't so admirable. Still, just because they couldn't get their kicks at school anymore, didn't mean they didn't have their fun every now and then. Setting up inventive ways to dispatch enemies was just as enjoyable and unlike their previous pursuits, Byleth actively approved of these endeavors. The rush of victory was even sweeter when Byleth had to lean against a tree, laughing helplessly at how pitiful a group of bandits looked buried up to their necks in pitfall traps. Overall, it had been a real treat having Sylvain's infectious enthusiasm and good humor around.

Sylvain was also solely responsible for their beach trip.

It wasn't so outlandish a request. They had just finished up a mission with Seteth and Flayn by the coast, after all. Anyone glancing upon the glistening waters and endless stretch of sand would long to experience that place under less hostile conditions. Which was probably why convincing Byleth to let them stay a couple days longer and simply take their early week lessons on the road was much easier than anyone expected it to be. The excitement of his classmates was more than palpable. Lysithea had immediately suggested they take a trip to the nearby town, known for its tourism, to buy swimsuits and food.

"Oooh, Professor, come with us," Hilda beckoned, troublemaker smirk clear as day on her face. "We absolutely must go shopping together."

Byleth looked for a moment as if she would decline, but Marianne went in for the kill. "Yes, please do. It'll be nice to have some time with just us girls, won't it?" The thing about Marianne was...she so rarely voiced her desires. So if she bothered to say something out loud using actual words, you knew it had to be important to her. Byleth was also infamously incapable of denying her things.

Their teacher's expression was nothing short of exasperated defeat when she sighed, "Sure. Why not? Just...try not to go overboard, ladies." Leonie and Lysithea shared a victorious grin behind Byleth's back. There was no way they weren't going to milk this for all it was worth. Poor Byleth.

It wasn't until the girls were out of sight that Sylvain brought up a stupidly good point. "Ya know, if Hilda gets her way, they're probably going to put Teach into something really skimpy."

Realization of the danger they were in dawned on all of their faces at the same time. Ah. Poor them, more like it.

Sure enough, Sylvain was completely right. Hilda had done quite the number on their beloved mentor. The two piece suit was in no way as revealing as something Manuela would have chosen, thankfully. But it also far from conservative. It was midnight black, which stood out against her pale skin. The bottom was snug but not particularly decorative. Not that it needed to be with a body like hers. Byleth was a short woman but her strength was evident just from looking at her. Her stomach was toned with a hint of abdominal muscles visible when she inhaled or moved. The top was a piece of art. It was a bit of a halter top design, with part of the chest cut out and retied together like the strings of a corset. All together it was extremely flattering. And all of the boys present were vividly aware of that fact.

As anticipated, Hilda did not let that slide without giving them hell for it.

"Pick your jaws up off the sand, boys! It's unhygienic!"

Lorenz was doing a good interpretation of a lobster as he hissed, "Hilda, you pompous brat."

"You of all people don't get to say that to me, Lorenz," she huffed. "Ever. And I have nooo idea what you're so mad about. I just encouraged our beautiful professor to show off more of her ASS-ets."

"Ok, enough," Byleth interrupted, tossing Hilda a wooden sword. "Better take your stance quick, Hilda, or I'm gonna kick your ASS-ets to the ground."

Their single day at the beach was a fantastic mix of fun and a good work out. Many of their number had never gotten to swim in the ocean before either, which was amusing to witness. They swam, sparred, ran, and even went fishing. No one aside from Claude would have guessed what a pro Byleth was at catching fish. And he only knew because he had kept extensive tabs on her during the first month of their acquaintance. As the sun dipped below the horizon, they made a bonfire on the beach and toasted all sorts of treats over it. Sylvain shared Leonie's love of good stories to tell and between them and their heckling audience's backhanded comments, there really wasn't ever a dull moment.

As things died down a bit, and their friends started drifting off to sleep, Claude noticed Byleth had made no move to join the others in their various tents.

"Not going to bed, Teach? Raphael and Ignatz have first watch."

Humming softly, Byleth shook her head. "It's been awhile since I've seen the night sky with so many stars out. I set up a hammock between those two palm trees earlier. I think I'll do a bit of stargazing while I can." Claude peered up at the sky, blinking in shock at how right she was. The sky really was a thing of beauty right now. With the light of their fire so dimmed, the darkness above was littered with glittering constellations. He's always been a sunrise and sunset kind of guy, but this was a different kind of stunning. "You could join me if you'd like," Byleth offered, smile visible in the light of the moon and dying embers from camp.

The offer touched him. It was nice. This felt like the sort of thing Byleth might choose to do alone. It wasn't as if she was the most extroverted person by nature. Claude knew she coveted her solitude where she could get it. But, even when presented an optimal chance to get some time to herself, she still chose to invite him along. Still, with such a earnest entreaty, he couldn't resist teasing her a bit. "Didn't get enough of my presence after a whole day of fun in the sun, huh?" 

"On the contrary, I was just thinking that it's been quite a long time since I've had any time to really talk to you." Claude bulked at that. Had it been a while? They saw each other nearly every day. But, the more he considered it, the more he realized that befriending the others and Slyvain had indeed changed things. In the beginning, he was a bit more of a solitary being. He sought out Byleth frequently for the odd chat or private tutoring lesson. Mostly because she was the only one he thought of as interesting. Now, it was Hilda's assistance he requested when he wanted to work on his ax techniques. Now, it was he and Marianne who tended to the wyverns and Pegasi in the stables. Now, he and Sylvain got meals together in the gardens, where there was less of a chance of running into Dimitri, Ingrid and Felix.

Claude wasn't sure how to classify the feeling in his chest at the realization that he and Byleth had grown a bit apart over time. "I'm...sorry."

Byleth chuckled, patting his shoulder and guiding him with her towards the hammock. "Why? You've no need to be, Claude. You have no idea how happy it makes me to see you bonding with the others as you have been."

"Yeah, at the expense of _our_ relationship, though, Teach," he grumbled. 

"Of course, you'd say that, you pessimist." Byleth shook her head at him, amused, and lifted herself up onto the hammock. She paused to let him bumble his way in after her. The net bedding shook almost violently under him, destroying any attempt he made at being graceful. They both laughed as he flopped down onto her stomach with a yelp, fighting his way into a less ridiculous position. When he had finally managed to lay next to her and the hammock stopped swinging quite as much, Claude allowed himself to appreciate how relaxing this was. The night air was cool, but not cold. And even through the lining of the trees, the stars really were splendid. His left side was pressed rather snugly against her right, but that too was rather nice. She was warm.

"We haven't lost our relationship, Claude. Not spending as much time together is an issue that can be easily remedied. Provided we feel it prudent to put in the effort, of course."

Smiling a bit to himself, Claude mused, "And if I want to monopolize all of your time, Teach? What then?"

Byleth fidgeted a bit before replying. "You'll have your work cut out for you. All you students are very Deer to me. I'm sure the others won't be huge Fawns of your plans." Claude fought the urge to sit up, which would almost certainly cause them to flip over, settling to stare at her, bewildered. Had she just...? He _heard_ the capitalization in that sentence. Byleth's mouth was quirked into a poorly repressed grin. "I blame you for this," she giggled. "You're a terrible influence."

Claude barked out a laugh, delighted. Deer puns. She was using deer puns on him. God, how long had it been since he had first made those jokes? Back when she had first decided to join their house, if he remembered correctly. 

Oh, she was in for it now.

"But I'm so fawn'd of you, Deer Teacher!" Byleth had already lost the battle against her laughter. "I doe-n't see the problem with wanting you all to myself. Really and truly I have no i-deer why the others would dislike that!"

It was hard for him to keep from laughing himself. It was slightly ridiculous after all. Having a pun war in a hammock under the stars at a beach far away from the monastery. Byleth had almost calmed down, when she sighed happily and muttered, "For real doe."

And that was it for both of them.

Claude wasn't sure how late they stayed up, chatting about various topics, making jokes, catching up. What he did know was that it was really nice. And he had missed it terribly. There was the unfortunate fact that because they stayed up so late, they also slept in way later than intended. So late in fact, that they woke to the scandalized and amused faces of their comrades who had come searching for them. The amount of shit Hilda and Sylvain gave him on the ride back was almost intolerable.

But...it was also most definitely worth it.

3.) 

There was something about fighting beside Byleth that made Claude feel invincible. 

As her students, all the Deer had a penchant for trying to impress Byleth with their skills while in battle. They had been well conditioned with praise and in depth one on one time when they got back to the monastery. Byleth's unwavering attention had created proper warriors out of the lot of them. They were no longer the ragtag bunch she had taken on earlier in the year. There were still some rough edges to smooth out, but they had become cohesive, confidant and capable. And most importantly, with all of them so hungry for the most valuable player spot at the end of missions, they were ruthless. Yet there was something strange about their battles that Claude could never truly place. Some feeling that even if he charged into the fray more carelessly than he would typically allow, he would be just fine. He had always just attributed it to Byleth and her uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time to defend him. The high he got off a battle made even the most unfortunate circumstances feel like he had control over them.

This was not one of those times.

Claude wasn't even sure what the hell had happened. He knew the battle had been much more frantic than normal. The giant black beast that was tearing through the middle of the battlefield certainly didn't help matters either. It had been one hell of a fight. Hilda had almost gotten her head taken off once. Marianne had lost sight of an enemy paladin who would have run her through if not for Raphael leaping to her defense at Byleth's behest. Lysithea had gotten hit by a huge blast of energy from the monster that surely would have killed her if not the for the vulnerary she drank moments before hand. The slog had been tiresome and the battle debilitating, but they had won, damnit.

That was until the last enemy standing, a solitary sniper with one foot in the grave already, had gotten a lucky shot off. With how much blood the guy had lost, it was a miracle he could still see well enough to make the shot. But, one moment, Claude was dismounting Josey, his faithful wyvern, and the next, Byleth was pushing him to the ground and gasping out in agony. It was a terrible shot. Landed in her upper arm, not even at the shoulder. Slyvain had stormed over to the poor soul and finished dismissing him before he had a chance to shoot again. For such a superficial wound, it would have hurt, yes, but not been anywhere close to lethal.

Which why they were all so alarmed and confused when Byleth crumpled to her knees and vomited up blood all over the grass. Claude's mind had gone completely silent for a moment, then shot into hyper-drive. When had she taken such a serious hit to the torso? When? He went back through the entirety of the battle in his mind, scouring for a hint as to what was wrong. Poison couldn't have acted that fast. Their mentor had just been healed by Marianne not even ten minutes prior. Any wounds should have been erased. So why?

His eyes met Marianne's as she desperately cast mend on their teacher. But her convulsing did not cease. "She's...she's burning up, Claude..." the bluenette's voice was haunted. Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head, "I just...I don't know..."

Claude really needed her to not finish that sentence.

His body just sort of moved after that. Byleth was shorter than him, but she was a ton of muscle. He'd seen those abs. He knew. That didn't matter though. Nothing did. He scooped her up effortlessly, practically leaping back onto Josey and taking off without a single thought about what the other Deer were going to do without he or Byleth there. Later, he would be outrageously proud of Lorenz for keeping calm and directing the Deer back down the road they took to get there quickly, but in formation in case they were accosted by something or someone wanting to take advantage of their frazzled mental state. The flight there was a blur. He knew Byleth had spit up blood onto him at least once more. He remembered how warm and sticky it was sliding down his chest beneath his shirt and armor. It didn't matter. He just had to get her to the monastery. Manuela and the nuns would be able to heal her.

The wait in between handing her off to the healing staff and hearing word of her condition was one of the longest in his lifetime. At first, he had been unwilling to leave, wanting to stay with her. It was Dorothea whose gentle hands forced his eyes to meet hers. Claude hadn't realized how many people he knew had seen him and followed him in here until that moment. Caspar and Linhardt were pale faced, panicked. Annette was sobbing into Mercedes's shoulder, her hand held tightly in Ashe's grip. There was something broken in Edelgard's expression.

He didn't even want to think about Dimitri's. 

"Claude," Dorothea called, gaze not leaving his. "You got her here. She's in the best place she can be right now. They're going to do everything they can for her. And they will let you see her, I'm sure, but not like this." Her gaze drifted to his armor, likely soaked with blood. Some of it Byleth's. Fuck. He was gonna have this set dismantled and burned. Immediately. "Go get cleaned up. Try to at least drink some water. Then come back. Okay?"

Claude must have agreed. His body was on auto-pilot, simply going through the motions of walking back to the empty dorms, stripping out of his armor and sinking into a freezing cold basin of water. Ah. He had forgotten to heat it up. It woke him up a bit, which was more of a curse than a blessing. Suddenly, it hit him all at the same time that Byleth could very well be dying. And he had no idea how to fix it. He hadn't told Manuela anything. The healers had no idea what was wrong. And neither did he. What had the other students thought, he wondered? When they saw him sprinting through the halls with a bloodied Byleth in his arms and no words for anyone? They had no idea what put her in that position. And neither did he.

When he got back to the infirmary, there was a healer there to greet him. He hoped that was a good sign. As she escorted him back to the beds he sent a brief prayer, one of the first he ever had bothered with, to the Goddess. Let her be okay. 

Manuela's face when he entered shattered that small hope.

"What happened, Claude?" She sounded exhausted. Looked it too.

"I don't know," he muttered, honestly.

"How did she...become like this? What did she do?"

"I really don't know."

The professor was silent for a beat. Then two. Finally, she sighed. "I have never seen anything like this before. It's like she cast a spell with no magical energy left, but so much for devastating. I've fed her literally all my mana and it hasn't done anything. Her fever's so high you could cook an egg on her forehead, the poor thing can hardly breathe..."

Manuela paused, cursing under her breath. At first, he thought it was because she was frustrated with the situation. Then, she reached forward to wipe a tear off his cheek. Oh. That wheezing sound. It was him. 

"I'm sorry. That was entirely unprofessional of me. Forgive me. I know you're scared for her. I don't suppose I will be able to convince you to go back to your dorm and rest..."

"No." He gritted out, fists clenched so hard his nails punctured the skin of his palm.

Nodding, the older woman smiled sadly at him. "Didn't think so. Do whatever you need to. Make yourself comfortable. Honestly, I have no idea what white magic will do for her now, but maybe hearing a familiar voice will help."

Claude stared down at her bed, focusing on Byleth's uneven, labored breathing. The healers wandered in and out, checking her pulse, her temperature. Part of him wanted them to leave. If it was really so hopeless, just leave him have whatever time was left with her. And the larger part of him refused to acknowledge that. _"Impossible is just a word we use for something we don't know how to do yet,"_ Byleth always told them. If anyone could pull of the impossible, it was her. 

Claude paid no mind to the watchful eyes around him. His boots hit the ground with a heavy thud as he carefully spread himself out on the small white bed beside her. There was barely any room, but he didn't care. Shame, conventions, image...none of that mattered when the very ground he stood on was being slowly ripped from beneath his feet. Cuddling his face into the crook of her neck, breath tickling her ear, he resolved to hold onto that patch of ground until his fingers bled.

"Teach," he croaked, voice barely audible. A whisper meant for her ears only. "You know how insufferable I was to Dimitri and Edelgard that first month? At the time, I didn't know why I was flaunting your choice in their faces like that. But I think I get it now. They both were so interested in having you. It was all they talked about for that whole day. I thought I was smug because I was the one that got you even though I didn't want you as bad as they did. But that was wrong. It was so so wrong. Cuz I wanted you too. I wanted you to pick me so bad it hurt.

"And you did," he laughed wetly. "You did. And you changed everything. I...I have friends now. Real ones. I have an appreciation for my station and my countrymen. I don't run away anymore. And I've never trusted anyone half as much as I trust you. I would tell you anything if you asked. The truth too. Ha. These past months...have been everything. And now...now you..." Claude sobbed, pressing his damp face against her shoulder.

"Don't go. Please don't. I know you've had us run battle simulations where you're not around to help us fight but that's...you being a couple kilometers away, not gone. You being gone...that was never part of the plan. I don't want it to be, either. There's so much I want to show you still and we haven't even gone to the Alliance yet. So...you can't go. I won't let you. I won you fair and square, without even having to cheat. I'll be damned if I let you go now."

Claude's eyes eventually dried up and the tight ball in his throat unraveled bit by bit. He kept talking though. About anything. Everything. At some point, the healers had taken Byleth's temperature, looking amazed as they discussed the results. After that, they stopped coming. Claude didn't pay them any mind. He just kept whispering. Secret after secret. Until it felt like he had ripped his chest open and spilled everything out onto her lap.

Well, almost everything.

He was still holding tightly onto one secret. The most important one. If she ever asked for it, he would tell her with no hesitation. But not until then.

Claude slipped into an exhausted slumber in the wee hours of the night. He wasn't sure if it was a dream or not, but he could have sworn he felt fingers running through his hair. He certainly knew he wasn't dreaming the smell of chicken broth that was filling his nose as he woke. The sunlight through the window was blinding, enough for Claude to seek shelter in the pillow beneath his head. The clinking of a dish made even more apparent the aching of his own stomach. Why was he so hungry? It was so rare that he forgot to eat....

Eyes flying open, Claude suddenly remembered where he was. Byleth. Where?

There, sitting up in bed with a tray on her lap, was a miracle. Her hair was a mess. He could smell the stench of stale sweat and bitter medicine on her from here. When she turned her head to look at him, there were dark, tired circles under her eyes. Marianne would have been proud of them. But her violet eyes were open...looking at him. And the expression on her face was so fond. 

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, right then and there. 

"Morning," she croaked.

Sitting up was a bit of a struggle, but he managed it. "Morning." His own voice was just as tight.

For a while, they just regarded each other in the sunlight. Whatever words he might have had wouldn't come forth. He had no defenses. No sharp tongue or clever smirk. His walls had collapsed to the ground when she had. Last night, that vulnerability had strangled him. Today, in the morning light with her thoughtful gaze upon him, it was almost freeing.

As if coming to a decision, Byleth gingerly picked up her tray, food unfinished, and set it on the bedside table. Claude wanted to argue that she needed to eat so she could regain her strength. That she almost died, the idiot, and what even happened anyway...but then her arms were wrapped fiercely around his shoulders, tugging his face down into her neck. He sat frozen for just a moment before he returned the embrace. Melted into it, really. It was so easy. Her skin was warm, but not scorching, under his cheek. Claude could feel her pulse against him. 

Taking in a shuddering breath, Byleth finally whispered, " _Thank_ you, Claude." 

Then, he knew. Maybe she didn't remember the details, but she had heard him. His plea had not gone unanswered. He begged her to stay...and she did. They didn't need to discuss it much after that. The pair sat and held each other for a while, until their housemates decided to show up, relieved and bearing gifts of affection, food and company. No one commented on his presence in her bed. Not even Manuela and the healers when they came in to check on her before releasing Byleth. Claude wasn't entire sure how to feel about the lack of teasing. It wasn't as though this were so commonplace that it was pointless to draw attention to it. But, well, he had to admit...the past three times he had shared Byleth's bed had all been rather nice, all things considered and lead up to the recent one not included. Next time, he vowed that he would share Byleth's bed under less dire, more pleasant circumstances. Maybe even...after the school year had finished, perhaps.

Claude did not know it at the time, but it would be a very very long time until he got that chance again...


	2. The Long Awaited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth hummed, kissing his lips gently. "Can I sleep in your bed tonight, Claude?"
> 
> "I will take it as a great offense if you sleep anywhere else for the rest of our lives," Claude claimed, far more seriously than his light tone let on. "I have spent entirely too long separated from you and will not tolerate it even a second longer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Just in the nick of time! HAPPY FIRE EMBLEM RELEASE DAY EVERYONE! There is still way too little smut concerning these two wonderful humans so I took it upon myself to fix that. If that's not your slice of cake...uhhh...probably shouldn't read this. Yeah, it's kinda just filthy. I already know the endgame bits aren't entirely accurate. I wrote it before the data-mine came out. But since I don't wanna spoil anything for anyone (and since its not super important anyway), I'm gonna leave it like this.
> 
> Enjoy friends! See you on the other side!

Claude was admittedly exhausted. Fodlan required so much of him in recent years. After so long at war, he had truly been a fool to hope that the fragile peace afterwards would leave him be. But with the church in tatters, the Empire and Holy Kingdom all but ripped to shreds, and the people's faith in their leadership tarnished, he definitely had his work cut out for him. It was a very different game of strategy than he was use to, but one he didn't mind playing. It was slow but he could see sparks of hope peering through the wreckage. Apostles from the remnants of the church had dispersed themselves to the far reaches of Faerghus to feed the poor and build shelter for the homeless before the harsh winter set in. The surviving noble houses in the empire had just spent the last month in the Alliance, shadowing Claude and his peers so that they too might develop a more democratic governing body. Fodlan would flourish again...in time.

That was a satisfying enough reason to put in as much work as he was.

It was flattering that the people adored him so. Tales of his efforts, and those of the Golden Deer, in the war had spread like dragon's fire. Men and women of every country called him a Hero. The face of an era of true peace. He knew better than to think that everyone was included in that vision. He knew his own army had slaughtered good men and women in the name of securing his ideals. There would be orphans in villages that he himself had ripped from their loved ones. Differences of opinion were no simple thing in war time. But still, history favored the victors. It would be his actions acclaimed in those texts. And he could think of at least three names that would be damned in them, though he wished it weren't so.

Was it so wrong to hope for the world to sort itself out quickly so that he could return to the vision he had for his own life? Yes, he had goals and aspirations for the Alliance, but beyond that. There were things he wanted for himself, he thought as he sped walked through the halls of his villa, eager to be home at long last. Boyish dreams that had changed shape and color but never subject. Five years of brutal combat and lonely evenings left alone with his thoughts had done little to change his desires. And certainly not now that he finally, _finally_ had those goals within reach.

Pushing open the door to his bedroom, Claude's tired emerald eyes spotted a very welcome sight. It effortlessly drew a smile upon his lips. There, sprawled out across his sheets like she belonged there, well loved book in one hand and a tall, mostly empty glass of wine on the bedside table, was Byleth. 

Her return brought with it hope, a renewed sense of focus and purpose that fueled the Deer on in their pursuits. It was her intervention that brought the truth about the church to light. Byleth was no longer their elder, oddly enough. Five years had seasoned them far more than it had her. Aside from the occasional color change in her hair, she was the exact same woman that had vanished on him all those years ago. A lesser man (or maybe a stronger one) would have been livid with her for her long, poorly timed absence. But he could not place any level of distrust upon his most darling mentor, ironic given his extreme trust issues. War had been strangely relieving in that way. Claude really had no idea how much of herself Byleth had kept from them back them, restrained due to her position as their teacher first and foremost. The Byleth that had returned to him was one year his junior and an unholy mess of a woman who could freely admit her outfit choice was "tactically slutty".

She also had made it clear and known that she appreciated the effect five years had had on Claude very much.

And as for him, well, he had found her attractive, intriguing and endlessly lovable back as a seventeen year old. Now, standing on equal ground at her side rather than staring at her back...his positive opinion of her had only grown more refined and all consuming. Their budding romance had been a tempting thing. Not one they completely ignored but also not something to indulge in while managing a three-way war. In the wake of said war, Claude couldn't really be blamed for wanting to rip down those barriers. He and Byleth had been kept arms length apart by propriety for seven years now. If he had his way, that would hold for not one hour more. 

And if there was one thing Claude von Riegan was good at...it was getting his way.

"Twenty gold for your thoughts, darling?" Byleth drawled, violet eyes glancing at him over the edge of her novel. 

Ah. He had just been standing in the open doorway staring at her, hadn't he? Not particularly subtle. But, maybe that wasn't the worst play either. Closing the door behind him and clicking the lock shut, Claude fixed a charming smile upon his face. "Come now, Teach. Surely you know by now that my thoughts are worth far more than twenty gold."

"Mm," Byleth agreed, taking a long sip of her wine. "Must be if they require such flashy displays of privacy. Does fifty sound fair then?"

Stripping off his cape, medals and sash, Claude shook his head with a dramatic wave. "So stingy! I happen to know for a fact that you bribed a merc in Faerghus four times that amount just to hear where the patrol for that evening would be the thinnest. The wonders of my mind are infinitely more valuable than that, _dear_ Professor."

Byleth smirked at the word "dear" knowingly. "Yes, the machinations of your brain are highly valued commodities in current times. Though, I fear I must regretfully inform you that teachers are not as well paid as you Dukes and appointed leaders of entire alliances are. My salary simply won't allow me to pay such steep prices." She had given up on her book at this point, dog earring the page and laying it aside. The armored bodice she adored so much had been mostly retired in the past few weeks. Instead, she had been sporting frilly shirts tucked into those ridiculously short shorts and those ever present, maddeningly appealing lacy tights. This current shirt was in fact, under closer evaluation, his. The buttons were mostly just a passing attempt at modesty. The top three were completely undone, giving him and excellent view of her cleavage as she sat up on her elbows to watch him remove his outer layers. If he didn't know any better, Claude might make the assertion that she was anticipating this. "Think you can give me a teacher discount, Duke von Riegan?"

Oh, she was definitely anticipating it.

Slipping his boots from his feet and unfastening his cuff links, Claude stalked toward the bed. There was no misunderstanding those half lidded eyes, lip caught playfully between her teeth. He longed to run his tongue along the indent those teeth made. "You want to know what I'm thinking so badly, hmm?"

"Oh yes," she purred, running one patterned foot along his leg, just brushing his crotch. He barely withheld a gasp, heat flooding his abdomen. "I'm sure the insight of such a brilliant tactician will be absolutely enlightening."

Her stockings felt marvelous on his fingertips as he ran them down her foot to her strong calf. Increasing the strength of his grip just a tad, he yanked, pulling her whole body down the bed towards him. Byleth's shocked gasp lit up every nerve in his body. Leaning down so that his body covered hers, he drank in her deep breathing and flushed cheeks. The sweet scent of wine sang to him from her breath. Claude pressed a light kiss to one of her rosy cheeks, humming to himself as he ran his nose down the length of her neck. "I was thinking," he drawled, lips brushing the skin of her jugular with every word. He was not imagining her shiver. This close, he was certain she could feel his own in response to the way her body arched up to press against his own. Another kiss, this one longer, more wet, against her collarbone, then he slid up to meet her eyes. "I was thinking...that you? Me? This bed? We could be great together."

Byleth snorted, wide grin breaking their character for just a moment. "What an eloquent idea." Claude grinned at her reply, kissing her nose. Lips quirking, Byleth upped the ante again, "Though, I scarcely imagine the bed is strictly necessary. There's also your desk and the wall and that fantastic bathtub you have in there."

Oh. Now those were ideas to keep in mind. Arching an eyebrow, Claude argued, "Ah, but I am a romantic at heart, my lady. I admit I have longed for this moment far too long to allow it to be a crass fuck against my desk." Byleth jerked at the word "fuck". Claude grinned. "At least, not this time. I want to be able to take my time with this. With you. And besides," he pressed his hips snugly against her own, rejoicing in the way she threw back her head and groaned. "I don't exactly hear any complaints."

"Here's one," she breathed, hands coming up to curl into his hair. "Why the hell haven't you kissed me properly yet?"

"As my lady wishes," he vowed, pressing their lips together languidly. 

This part was familiar by now. Late at night, after the rest of the war room had retired and when their mutual affections had been revealed, they often spent at least some time kissing. It was such a grounding force in Claude's life that even now, away from the constant promise of death, kissing her introduced a sense of peace in his life. The duality of his intense desire for her and how calm he felt, wrapped in her arms, tongue tracing the back of her teeth, was strange, but good. True to his word, he did not rush. They contented themselves with exploring one another's mouths and running loving hands across each other's skin for quite some time. When the heat growing between them did necessitate some sort of progress, Claude slide a knee between Byleth's thighs. He swallowed her moans, rubbing just firmly enough to give her the level of friction she wanted, but too slow for her tastes, he knew. His teacher had never been one to leave fate to someone else's hands though. Wrapping both legs firmly around his waist, Byleth rode his leg desperately. The force she was applying to him shook his entire frame to the point that it was hard to stay perched above her. Claude's eyes nearly rolled back in his head at the thought of those rolling thrusts being applied to his cock rather than his leg.

Two could play at that game, though, he decided. Sitting up, Claude slid his hands under her hips, grasping two firm handfuls of her ass. He kissed her deeply, pulling her clothed core against his thigh, dragging up to the cut of his pelvic bone before releasing and repeating the movement. Byleth's body went limp in his arms, shuddering powerfully whenever he crushed what had to be her clit against his hip. Watching her climb to orgasm was almost enough to get him there himself. Her hips started losing rhythm, mouth unable to keep up with his kisses except to hang open for him to pillage freely. The tension in her body coiled tighter and tighter then all at once snapped. Claude's heart pounded in his chest, overcome by how gorgeous she was, so lost to her pleasure. He had to make that happen again. Now. Byleth hadn't even caught her breath yet when Claude unbuttoned her shorts, guiding them and her soaked tights down her supple legs. Hazy violet eyes flew open in surprise when he held her legs apart.

"Oh! Wait, Claude." She hissed, hands grasping the sheets as he lowered his face to the apex of her thighs. "I just came, love." She said that as if it were some sort of deterrent. He pressed his nose against her clothed slit, inhaling deeply. The scent was intoxicating. Every muscle in his body longed to rut against her like a wild beast, claim his own satisfaction that was building painfully in his groin. But that would be no fun. Claude had always been just a tad bit sadistic, after all. And this was the sweetest form of torture he could think to enact on someone.

"I know," he murmured. "I can _smell_ it." Byleth's thighs twitched against his shoulders. Deft fingers tugged her panties down, past her knees and finally off into some far flung corner of the room. Being revealed to his eyes had a delicious effect on his beloved, fidgeting as if she was already close again. Maybe she was. Her lips were practically dripping with arousal. Claude could scarcely imagine a more bewitching sight. "You know, Byleth I'm really quite famished. Unless you have any objections, I think I'm going to have a bite to eat."

"I- ah!" Whatever she had planned to say was lost in a cry as he gave one experimental lick to her snatch. Oh. It was even better than he thought it would be. The flavor was hard to place. Not bitter, but not sweet either. Musky almost. Whatever it was, it was addicting. Running his tongue slowly across her lips, he circled that curious bump at the top to great reward. Byleth could barely keep her hips still, releasing long heady moan when he found that treasure. Claude decided as he dug into his meal that even if the taste were disgusting, it would be well worth the effort for just how responsive his lover was. Every gasp and groan kindled the fire in his core.

It didn't take long at all until her body was rising into that same crescendo as before. Claude swore he had seen stars when Byleth started riding his face the same way she had been humping his leg before. The smell, the taste, the sounds, and the intimate feeling of her control shattering around his tongue were intoxicating. So lost was he in the sensation of her quivery pussy against his tongue that he didn't even notice that her orgasm and had come and gone. 

His overstimulated lover certainly had though. 

A shaking leg came up to kick at his shoulder. "Claude. Stop fooling around..."

Claude hadn't realized how out of breath he was until he came up for air, laughing breathlessly. "You don't wanna keep going, Teach? Not having fun?" he play-moped into her thigh, face absolutely soaked. Byleth made a strangled noise at the sudden moisture against her leg.

"Y-you know what I mean! Just...get on with it already." Poor thing sounded so wrecked already. But, that wasn't good enough. So long as he wasn't hurting her, Claude fully intended to pleasure this woman until she knew no words aside from his name. His jaw hurt a bit. And talking tomorrow would likely be difficult with a strained tongue. But he was having way too much fun with this to care.

"Nah," he smirked, licking a line up her cunt again, scrambling her thoughts. "I'm enjoying my meal, darling. Though...I suppose...you could try and convince me." Wrapping his lips around her clit, he sucked it into his mouth, laving his tongue along it just the way he knew she loved it. 

Her plead was more of a scream than he had ever heard. "Claude, please!!" 

Releasing her with a pop, Claude chuckled. "That's a good start. You keep talking. I'll keep eating." 

Despite his teasing, he was not immune to the pace they were going at. While he had driven Byleth to orgasm twice now, he himself had been hanging on the edge of it for what must have been an hour. Every onslaught of over stimulation on her flesh was an exercise in edging for him. And considering just how badly he wanted to wait to finish inside of her, he knew he wasn't going to be able to keep this up forever.

Which wasn't to say he was sparing her. Oh no. Claude was a strategist as a trade and a schemer at heart. His jaw's deep ache would make it difficult to tease her to completion with just his mouth again, but his hands had yet to see any action. Besides, if he was going to enter her, he needed to stretch her out a bit. Too many horror stories had gone around their campfire of crappy first times with boorish men who cared only for their own pleasure. Claude was a man of more refined taste than that.

And Byleth was a woman of exquisite _taste_ , which he was very much still enjoying.

Claude pressed one finger into her slowly, up to the first knuckle, then thrusting gently down to the second. The precaution really wasn't necessary. Her cunt was quite literally dripping at this point, soaking his hands, his mouth, even the sheets when she squirmed. The second finger slid home just as easily as the first and he delighted in the way Byleth keened his name. He scissored them apart gently, letting her muscles get accustomed to his presence before adding a third finger. All the while, his tongue eagerly lapped at her clit, sucking it into his mouth whenever he increased the pressure. By the time he was just about satisfied with his prep work, Byleth's thighs were trembling around his neck. A clear sign she was close again. The thought of pushing her over that edge again crossed his mind, certainly. But true to his intention, his beloved seemed to have forgotten every word except for "Claude" and "please". What sort of man would he be if he punished such good behavior?

Besides, he would much rather feel her orgasm around his cock than his fingers.

Pulling his sopping hand from her and sitting up, Claude took a moment to evaluate his love's state. It was more than pleasing. Flushed all the way to her breasts, panting like a madwoman, Byleth was a work of art before him. Luckily, they weren't in a museum so he was free to touch the artwork. 

"Ready, my love?"

" _Claude_ ," Byleth groaned with feeling, hand shooting up to drag him closer to her. It didn't surprise him per se when she dragged him into a hot and heavy kiss. Many of Byleth's previous lovers had been women, so she wasn't shy to the taste of slick on his lips and tongue. It was, however, unbearably hot. Claude groaned into her mouth, body tingling with pleasure as her nails dragged against his scalp and shoulders. After a while of kissing, Byleth nudged his rear with her foot. "Claude, darling, I need you in me...please."

Claude blinked. For a moment, he had forgotten that they were in the middle of something. Kissing Byleth was such a sweet privilege that it had thoroughly distracted him. But the mere mention of joining with her made his mind focus instantly. "Yes, milady. As you command."

The fire in his gut did make him desperate for contact, but he was dedicated to making this as loving and sensual and experience as he could. Byleth seemed to have the same idea, despite how worked up she still was. She settled on her side, on leg propped up so he could reach between her thighs. Claude laid beside her, facing towards her, and angled his hips so his member could slid against her folds. That toned leg folded itself over his hip and pulled him closer so they were chest to chest, hips together, breath tickling one another's noses. This position wouldn't allow them much freedom of motion. He wouldn't be pounding deep into her. But that also wasn't their intention. Not now. Not tonight. 

Tonight, Claude wanted to stare into those gorgeous eyes of hers as he slid slowly into her heat. He wanted to be able to run his hands along the length of her body, grasp her ass firmly or cup her full breasts. More than anything, he wanted to kiss her. He swallowed her gasp as he settled into a rhythm within her, head already spinning from how tight and warm she was. They weren't loud, all breathy groans and whispered affection between them. Their lips did not stay locked most of the time, but they never strayed too far. Claude was content to breathe the air she breathed, and watch as she started to fall apart around him.

It was a sweet relief when Byleth started clenching and trembling around him. As soon as she lost herself to the wave of pleasure, his name a reverent prayer on her lips, he too allowed himself to let go. Their foreheads pressed together as they found their completion together. Slow and steady as they had been, they were still panting and giggling breathlessly in the afterglow when they were done. 

Claude felt no hurry to separate from her, no matter how sticky with sweat and other fluids they were. Byleth didn't seem to mind, content to run her hands through his hair and press feather light kisses to his nose. He was so lost in the blanket of intimacy and contentment that he was almost asleep by the time she spoke.

"Do you remember sleeping next to me in the infirmary back before graduation?"

Claude's breath hitched at the vivid memory of that day. Visceral fear of a force he could not yet understand that threatened to steal away his heart. Now, years later, he understood what had occurred that day. Byleth's time control powers were such a fickle thing. Using her "divine pulse" more than three times would absolutely rob her of energy and wreak havoc on her body. Claude considered them lucky to have not needed such a sacrifice throughout the war. Any time he noticed her using it after she told him, he would always stare her down until she told him what time she was on. If it was her second or especially her third, his entire strategy would change to a more defensive position. The fear of losing her to that state stayed with him even now.

"How could I forget?"

His tone must have given away his soured mood. Byleth ran a thumb over his cheek in comfort. "My memories of that day seem to be much less dire than yours. For me, that was a happy time."

Claude scoffed. "Vomiting your guts all over the place for no reason was that good of an experience, huh?"

Byleth only smiled, not taking his poisonous jab to heart. "I remember being curled up in your arms on Josephine. You held me so tight and kept whispering to me. I couldn't hear what you were saying but I was so comforted by it. Then I heard you talking to me...telling me how much you cared, how important I was to you. It was like you were underwater, but I still heard you."

She paused, kissing the furrow of his brow. Her legs slid against his, trapping one of his legs between hers. It was nice.

"Then I woke up and you were snuggled up next to me so close. I stayed there and watched you sleep for over an hour before one of the healers came in and saw that I was awake. Even then, getting me to sit up and eat was a chore." Claude chuckled, nuzzling her nose with his own. When Byleth spoke again, it was hushed despite them being the only people in the room. Like a secret, meant only for his ears. "That was the best sleep I had gotten in ages. For months after that I would toss and turn in bed wanting to be able to just turn on my side and see your sleeping face. Even during the war, I considered asking if we could share a bedroll sometime but it always felt too forward."

"You should have," Claude whispered back. "I would have said yes in a heartbeat. I was head over heels in love with you well before that point."

Byleth hummed, kissing his lips gently. "Can I sleep in your bed tonight, Claude?"

"I will take it as a great offense if you sleep anywhere else for the rest of our lives," Claude claimed, far more seriously than his light tone let on. "I have spent entirely too long separated from you and will not tolerate it even a second longer."

Grinning, Byleth nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me."

The two fell asleep with their bodies pressed tightly together, uncaring of the mess they'd have to attend to in the morning. It was a bit gross. Definitely not hygienic. But that was fine with them. So long as they slept together, the rest was just background noise. Besides, they had known many other forms of mild insanity in their time. They could afford this one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to my darling wifey, BelowtheWind, for her endless support and smut fuel. And to everyone who commented last chapter! I hope this quenched your thirst just a tad. Lemme know what you think :)

**Author's Note:**

> Who else is not ready for the 26th but can't wait for it to get here? I'm so ready to marry the heck out of Claude von Riegan. If you're out there Joe Zieja...this is your fault.
> 
> Lemme know what you think of this in the comments. And always feel free to come yell at my on tumblr or twitter!


End file.
